Multiple-band power hone



NOV. 29, 1960 HANSEN 2,961,809

MULTIPLE-BAND POWER HONE .Flued Oct. 5, 1958 s Sheets- Sheet 1 INVENTOR. JOHN HANSEN ATTORNEY Nov. 29, 1960 J. HANSEN 2,961,809

- MULTIPLE-BAND POWER HONE jevauu INVENTOR. JOHN HANSEN ATTORNEY is Nov. 29, 1960 J. HANSEN ,8

MULTIPLE-BAND POWER HONE Filed 001:. 3, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 5

FIGJO L5 FIG.8V

INVENTOR. JOHN HANSEN ATTORNEY United States Patent MULTIPLE-BAND POWER HONE,

John Hansen, 710 River Drive, Bettendorf, Iowa Filed Oct. 3, 1958, Ser. No. 765,113

Claims. (Cl. 51246) This invention relates to a honing apparatus and more particularly to such apparatus as applied to slicer machines of the type having a plurality of parallel slicer blades operative in unison as a multiple set.

The hone means provided according to this invention is especially adapted to endless-band type bread slicers.

in which typical construction involves a pair of parallel rotatable drums about which a plurality of slicer bands are trained in figure-eight fashion so that the portions of the bands in crossed relation establish a bread-slicing zone through which successive loaves of bread are passed. It has heretofore been established that honing of the blades in situ is desirable, at least up to the point when it. becomes necessary to remove the blades for regrinding at the factory, and various honing devices have heretofore been devised and used with varying degrees of success. Some of these prior devices operate on the principle of honing both sides of each band individually adjacent to the slicing zone where the band portions are constrained by appropriate guides to travel in planes generally normal to the axes of rotation of the band-carrying drums. This type of individual honing process withdraws the machine from normal operation for a long period and the devices themselves are relatively complicated and expensive. Since they operate in the slicing zone, they must be removed when the machine performs its slicing function. Other devices operate in pairs, on a few bands at a time, one on one side of the few bands and the other on the opposite side. However, as the hones traverse the bands, the bands are allowed to spring up behind the hones, with the result that damage to the cutting edges often occurs. Further, the honing of relatively few bands at a time, even though the entire set is ultimately honed, is cumbersome and time-consuming.

According to the present invention, the foregoing and other disadvantages are eliminated by an improved hon: ing apparatus embodying such features as hone means capable of honing all bands or blades of the set simultaneously, hone means operating in dual fashion to hone both sides of all bands at once, power means for driving the hone means, improved means for controlling the paths of movement of the hones, novel drive and timing mechanism for imparting reciprocation to the hones for a predetermined number of strokes and then disengaging the hones from the bands, means for adjustment of one of a pair of hones relative to the other, means" for limiting engagement of the hones with the bands so as to prevent band engagement with the hone carriers as the hones Wear, reversibility of the honing operation to accommodate reversal of the positions of the bands on the drums, adaptability of the apparatus to existing machines, and such other features and objects as will appear from the present disclosure of preferred embodiments of the invention in the ensuing description and accompanying sheets of drawings, the several figures of which are de scribed immediately below. I

'Figure l is a plan, partly in section, of a slicer equipped 2,961,809 liatented Nov. 29, 1960.

with one form of honing apparatus embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1..

Figure 3 is an enlarged section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4--4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a schematic view of a typical band and drum arrangement,

Figure 6 is an enlarged section on the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is an enlarged section on the line 77 of Figure 3. a

Figure 8 is an enlarged section on the line 8-8 of Figure 3.

Figure 9 is an enlarged section, partly schematic, on the line 99 of Figure 4.

Figure 10 is a detail of the worm means.

Figure- 11 is a fragmentary enlarged view of the cam and follower means.

A typical bread slicing machine. includes supporting structure made up, in part, of right and left hand elongated upper and lower frame members such as those shown here at 20, 22, 24 and 26 between which a pair of transverse drums 28 and 30 are journaled to carry a plurality of endless slicer bands 32 for operation in unison as, a multiple set. The scalloped type of bands shown here are only representative, but that type at present is the most popular commercially. Each band is trained about the drums in twisted figure-eight fashion (Figure 5) to provide a slicing zone 34 from which the runs of the bands diverge to points of tangency with thedrums.

Ithas been found by experience that-it ispreferable to hone in what may be termed a honing area 36 intermedi-- ate the zone 34 and the top drum 28, and in this area.

each band presents upper and lower band portions 38.

follows that both sides of each band will be honed at the,

same time. It should be noted at this point that the hones could be located beneath the band portions 38 and 40.

and pressed upwardly, but the arrangement disclosed is preferred. Hence, directional language should be taken as illustrative and not limiting.

Further, as also shown here, if the hones are laterally elongated so as to traverse or span the entire set of bands, all bands will be honed at the same time and the honing operation as such can be made to occur in a relatively short time. As will be brought out more clearly below, the honing area 36, being spaced from the slicing zone 34, permits the convenient performance of the honing operation without disturbing slicing machine components, such as band guides, etc., normally relatively-permanently mounted in the slicing zone. Moreover, the honing apparatus, designated'here in its entirety at 46, may remain in place during the normal slicing operation of the machine.

The honing apparatus comprises a basic support in the form of a gear housing 48 having upper and lower eXtensions 50 and '52 which are rigidly mounted by upper and lower L-shaped brackets 54 and 56 respectively on the, adjacent upper and lower frame members24 and 26.

The housing may be adapted .to different models, sizes,

etc. of machines by modified brackets. The gear housing has additional, preferably integralupper andlower r extensions terminating respectively in upper and lower transversely bored mounts 58 and 60, and these mounts respectively carry cross members or supports such as round rods 62 and 64 which project toward the other side of the machine to have their opposite ends respectively adjacent to the opposite upper andlower frame. members 20 and 22.

The mount-carried ends of the rods may be suitably press-fitted into the mounts and the opposite ends of the rods are carried by support or mounting means designated as a whole at.66. This means comprises upper and lower bracket elements 68 and 70 respectively having upper and lower bolted connections 72 and 74 to the frame members 20 and 22. The upper element 68 is of rigid T-shaped design and an inner leg 76 provided at its upper end with an adjustable center member 78 having a conical end received in a conical recess 80 in the proximate end of the upper rod 62. This leg has at its lower end a pivotal supporting means or connection 82 with the upper end of a leg 84 rigid with the lower element 70. The leg 84 has an adjustable center member 86 similar to the member 78 and having a conical end received in a conical recess 88 in the proximate end of the lower rod 64. Normally, the elements support the rods 62 and 64 as shown in Figure 4 and as further shown in full lines in Figure 6, but the lower element may be released to enable removal of the bands from the drums through the frame members 20 and 22. As best shown in Figure 4, the band portions 38 are below the upper rod 62 and furthermore are inwardly f the element legs 76 and 84, and a similar situation exists as to the band portions 40. If the elements were of onepiece non-removable construction, it would be extremely difiicult to remove the bands at either side of the machine. But with the design shown, even though the one side is blocked by the housing 48, etc., the lower element 70 at the opposite side may be released by removing the bolts 74, backing off the center member 86 and swinging the element about the pivot 82 (broken lines, Figure 6), thus affording an opening through which the bands may be removed. At the same time, the lower element 70 remains supported by the upper element 68 via the pivot 82, and subsequently may be swung back into place and the bolts 74 replaced and the center member 86 re-adjusted.

The upper and lower rods 62 and 64 respectively carry end bearings 90 and 92 on which tubular members 94 and 96 are respectively carried concentrically of the rods for both rocking and reciprocation relative to the rods. These tubes afford parts of carriers for the respective homes 42 and 44 and to this end the tubes respectively rigidly carry radial arms 98 and 100, the remote ends of which respectively carry clamp means 102 and 104 respectively parallel to and receiving the bones 42 and 44. The manner of mounting the bones on the tubes as shown here is representative only.

The ends of the tubes 94 and 96 proximate to the frame members 24 and 26 and thus proximate to the gear housing 48 are respectively tightly fitted with annularly grooved collars 106 and 108 which eifect rockable connections with upper and lower forked ends 110 and 112 of a carriage 114 which thus spans the tubes and interconnects the tubes for reciprocation in unison while enabling rocking of the tubes about the rods, since the collars 106 and 108 are rockable in the forked ends 110 and 112 of the carriage. The carriage is pre-assembled with the collars and tubes before the rods 62 and 64 are inserted through the bearings 90 and 92 and into the apertured gear housing mounts 58 and 60.

The gear housing 48 is provided at its inner side, or side toward the bands, with a cover 116 on which is provided a rigid sleeve 118 on which is journaled a worm or reciprocation means 120. The sleeve and thus the worm are concentric on an axis intermediate and parallel to the rods 62 and 64, and the worm has a reversing thread or helix groove 122 (Figure which receives diametrically opposed pins or followers 124 in a hub portion 126 integral with the carriage 114 and concentric with the worm. The housing cover sleeve 118 journals :1 drive shaft 128 which is fixed against axial displacement relative to the housing 48 and which is keyed at one end at 130 to the worm 120 and which projects at its opposite end to carry a sprocket 132 fast thereon. A small electric motor 134 is representative of a power source and contains typical built-in speed-reduction means for relatively slowly driving an output shaft 136 on which is keyed a sprocket 138 connected by a chain 140 to the worm shaft sprocket 132. The motor is appropriately mounted on the housing 48 and hence the housing 48 and motor 134 are fixed and the worm 120 drives the carriage 114 for reciprocation on the rods 62 and 64. Since the tubes 94 and 96 are connected to the carriage they and their carried homes 42 and 44, likewise reciprocate through strokes determined as to length by the pitch and length of the worm groove 122 and as to rate by the speed of the worm shaft, which is relatively slow. The reciprocation strokes are enough to cause the homes to move back and forth over the blade portions at 38 and 40, it being clear of course that the drums 28 and 30 are rotating and that the bands are therefore travelling at relatively high speeds. As already explained, the honing operation is performed on both sides of all bands at the same time, since the top side of the upper run of each band at 38 becomes its bottom side on the bottom run at 40 because of the twist and crossing of the band in the slicing Zone 34, and hence, the bottom side of the top run of each band becomes its top side at 40 in the lower part of the honing area 36.

According to the present invention, it is desired that the honing operation involve several reciprocations of the bones 42 and 44 via the carriage 114 and reciprocation means 120124 while the bones engage the band portions at 38 and 40 and it is further desired that the bones be disengaged from the bands after the predetermined number of strokes. It is further desirable that driving of the mechanism be automatically discontinued when the bones are lifted from the bands.

For the above purposes, the gear housing 48 journals a cam shaft 140 parallel to the worm shaft 128 and having keyed thereto externally of the housing a cam 142 having a high part 144 and a low part 146 (Figure 11). Gear reduction means in the housing 48 rotates the cam at a speed below that of the worm to obtain the desired number of strokes of reciprocation of the bones 42 and 44 before the cam disengages the homes. In this case the reduction is five to one; i.e., the bones reciprocate five times and are then disengaged from the hands. This ratio may of course be varied if desired. The gear reduction means includes a third shaft 148 in the housing and a double gear 150-152 is journaled on this shaft, the large gear 150 meshing with a small gear 154 on the Worm shaft 128 and the small gear 152 meshing with a large gear 156 on the cam shaft 140 (Figures 4 and 9).

The homes 42 and 44 are biased into engagement with the bands to apply a desired honing pressure, and this is achieved by a tension spring 158 connected between an apertured lug 160 on the carriage 114 and a linkage that interconnects the hone carrier tubes 94 and 96. The linkage comprises arms 162 and 164 rigidly connected, as by press fits or brazing for example, to the tube collars 106 and 108, which have been earlier described as being respectively rigid with the tubes, and the linkage additionally has a doubled link 166 pivotally interconnecting the arms. One of these pivotal connections may be a simple pivot as shown at 168 between the arm 164 and link 166 and the other connection takes the form of a combined pivot and adjustable means 170. This means includes a screw 172 having a knurled head and a threaded shank received by a nut 174 pinned to the arm 162 below the link 166. An apertured lug 176 on the link 166 behind the nut 174 rotatably and nonaxially shiftably carries the screw 172 via a grooved collar 178 rigid with the screw so that turning of the screw propels the arm 162 relative to the link 166,

gearee axis of the rod bearings 90 and thereby varying the relationship of the upper hone 42 to the upper band portions 38. A bolt 180 passes through the arm 162 and through slots 182 in and lengthwise of the link to permit the aforesaid adjustment and the bolt is extended to afford a connection for the spring 158 (Figure 8). The lug 176 is part of a member 184 sandwiched between the two parts of the link 166 and riveted in place (Figure 8), as one example of the construction involved.

The apertured car 160 forming the fixed anchor for the spring 158 may be detachable, as by being attached by a screw 186 to an integral tapped lug 188 of the lower forked end 112 of the carriage 114. A similar tapped lug 190 is provided at the opposite end 110 of the carriage (Figure 3) to enable transfer of the ear 160 thereto for reversal of the linkage etc., as may be required on certain slicing machines, such as when the housing 48 must be mounted at the side opposite to that shown.

When the adjustment at 170 is effected'and secured as desired, the spring 158 urges both hones 42 and 44 into engagement with their respective band portions 38 and 40 and this engagement is maintained during reciprocation of the hones as the carriage is moved by the worm 120 and as long as the control means afforded by the cam 142 occupies such status as to permit such engagement. On the basis of the five-to-one ratio disclosed here as between the worm and cam shafts, the hones 42 and 44 are lifted from the bands at the end of the fifth stroke of reciprocation and this result is achieved by the cam 142 and a cam follower 192, here rigidly but adjustably attached to the links 166. The cam 142 is axially longer than the stroke ofreciprocation so that the follower 192 can never become axially dislocated relative to the cam. In the normal operation of the apparatus 46, with the hones 42 and 44 engaged with the bands and pressured by the spring 158, the follower. 192 will occupy a certain radially spaced relation to the low part 146 of the cam; i.e., the follower does not normally ride the cam part 146. Hence, honing pressure is not affected by the cam. As the fifth stroke is reached, the high part 144 of the cam, which is constantly rotating, engages the follower 192 and actuates the linkage 162-164-466 to rock the hone carrier tubes 94 and 96 and thus to lift the bones. At this point, an actuator 194 on the link 166 may be used to trip a switch 196 for cutting off current to the electric motor 134, thus discontinuing the honing operation. Such switch may be wired into a conventional start runstop system as desired.

,As the hones 42-44 wear during use, the follower 192 will approach the low part 146 of the cam 142 and will ultimately engage and ride same when bone wear becomes excessive. This arrangement is designed so that at this time the follower 192 will positively engage the cam low part 146 and the spring 158 cannot therefore urge the hones any further. This device prevents damage by the bands to the hone clamps and vice versa. The bones may be thenrepositioned intheir clamps.

Another feature of the invention isbest shown in Figure 11, and this relates to the timing of the end of the honing operation according to differences inthe manner of placing the blades in the slicing machine. As shown in Figure 1, all bands have their cutting edges disposed in the same direction. When the honing operation is stopped, it is desired that the honing mechanism be conditioned to start again so that-the first stroke of the hones will be toward the scalloped edges of the bands, and Figure 11 shows the cam 142 so-set on the cam shaft 140. However, it is conventional practice to reverse the blades, i.e., replace them on the drums with their scalloped edges pointing in the direction opposite that shown here, for purposes of equalizing wear etc.

lfi'siuchfcase, the hdning hanism, Without" the pie:

vision of the structure of Figure 11 would start honing against rather than with the scalloped edges of the bands. But according to the present invention this undesirable result is avoided by providing the cam shaft with a wide keyway 198 in which a relatively narrower key 200 in the cam 142 is selectively angularly positionable so as to vary the angular position of the cam relative to the camshaft and to thus enable the cam to not only lift the hones but to actuate the limit switch 196 at the proper time in accordance with the direction the cutting edges of the bands happen to be facing. This selective adjustment is achieved manually and either of the two angular positions of the cam 142 is secured by tightening a cam shaft nut 202.

The features and advantages of the invention, as well as the operation of the preferred embodiment thereof disclosed here, have been brought out above. Other features and objects will readily occur to those versed in the art, together with modifications and equivalent arrangements based on this disclosure, all of which may beachieved without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Honing apparatus for a bread slicing machine having spaced apart parallel drums and a plurality of slicer bands spaced across and trained about the drums in figureeight fashion to cross in a slicing zone intermediate the drum and thereby providing upper and lower band portions diverging from said zone toward one of the drums in a honing area between said zone and said one drum, and said machine including upper and lower frame members flanking the plurality of bands at each side ofithe machine, said apparatus comprising: a gear housingmounted on the frame members at one side of the ma chine in transverse alinement with the honing'areag'upper and lower cross rods rigidly mounted onthe housing and traversing the band portions in said area to lie' respectively above said portions and to dispose their opposite ends adjacent to the other frame members; means mounting said opopsite rod ends on said other frame members; a carriage mounted on said rods for reciprocation crosswise of the bands; upper and lower hone means rockably and slidably carried on the rods and connected to and for reciprocation with the carriage and respectively engaging the tops of said band portions; means biasing the hone means into engagement with said band portions; worm means rotatably carried by the housing and operatively engaging and for reciprocating the carriage; cam means rotatably carried by the housing and intermittently engageable with the hone meansto rock the hone means out of engagement with the band portions; and

drive means connected to the worm and cam means andincluding gear reductlon means timing the cam means to operate after a predetermined number of reciprocations of the carriage.

2. The invention defined in claim 1, in which: each hone means includes a tubular member concentrically carried on the associated rod and rockable on said rod relative to the carriage, linkage connecting the two hone means together for rocking in unison, and said linkage includes a cam follower cooperative with the cam means.

3; The invention defined in claim 2, including: adjustment means between the linkage and at least one tubular member for adjusting said one tubular member angularly relative to the other tubular member.

4. The invention defined in claim 2, in which: the cam means includes a high part engageable with the follower to rock the members for disengaging the hone means from the band portions and a low part normally clear of the follower but constructed to engage the follower as the hone means wear to a predetermined extent.

5. The invention defined in claim 1, in which: the

mounting means for said opposite ends of the rods in cludes detachable support elements separable from at i least one of the rods and the associated frame member to enable removal of the bands at that side of the machine.

6; The invention defined in claim 5, in which: the support elements comprise an upper element carried by the associated upper frame member and engaging the upper rod, and a lower element engaging the lower rod and pivoted to the upper element and 'detachably connected to the associated lower frame member.

7. Honing apparatus for a bread slicing machine having spaced apart parallel drums and a plurality of slicer bands spaced across and trained about the drums and providing upper and lower'band portions in a honing area adjacent to one drum, and said machine including upper and lower frame members flanking the plurality of bands at each side of the machine, said apparatus comprising: a gear housing mounted on the frame members at one side of the machine in transverse alinement with the honing area; upper and lower cross rods rigidly mounted on the housing and traversing the band portions in said area to lie respectively above said portions and to dispose their opposite ends adjacent to the other frame members; means mounting said opposite rod ends on said other frame members; a carriage mounted on said rods for reciprocation crosswise of the bands; upper and lower hone means rockably and slidably carried on the rods and connected to and for reciprocation with the carriage and respectively engaging the tops of said band portions; means biasing the hone means into engagement with said band portions; worm means rotatably carried by the housing and operatively engaging and for reciprocating the carriage; cam means rotatably carried by the housing and intermittently engageable with the hone means to rock the hone means out of engagement with the band portions; and drive means connected to the worm and cam. means and including gear reduction means timing the cam means to operate after a predetermined number of reciprocations of the carriage.

8, Honing apparatus for a bread slicing machine having spaced apart parallel drums and a plurality of slicer bands spaced across and trained about the drums and providing upper and lower band portions in a honing area adajcent to one drum, and said machine including upper and lower frame members flanking the plurality of bands at each side of the machine, said apparatus comprising: a gear housing mounted on the frame members at one side of the machine in transverse alinement with the honing area; upper and lower cross rods rigidly mounted on the housing and traversing the band portions in said area to lie respectively above said portions and to dispose their opposite ends adjacent to the other frame members; means mounting said opposite rod ends on said other frame members; a carriage mounted on said rods for reciprocation crosswise of the bands; upper and lower hone means rockably and slidably carried on the rods and connected to and for reciprocation with the carriage and respectively engaging the tops of said band portions; means biasing the bone means into engagement with said band portions; reciprocating means connected between the housing and the carriage for reciprocating the latter; hone control means operative between the housing and the hone means for intermittently rocking the hone means out of engagement with the band portions; and the drive means connected to the reciprocating and hone control means and including means timing the hone control means to operate after a predetermined number of reciprocations of the carirage.

9. Honing apparatus for a bread slicing machine having spaced apart parallel drums and a plurality of slicer bands spaced across and trained about the drums and providing upper and lower band portions in a honing area adjacent to one drum, and said machine including upper and lower frame members flanking the plurality of bands at each side" of the machine, said apparatus comprising: a gear housing mounted on the frame members at one side of the machine in transverse alinement with the honing area; a carriage; means mounting the carriage for reciprocation crosswise of the bands; upper and lower hone means connected to and for reciprocation with the carriage and rockable' about transverse axes relative to the carriage for respectively engaging the tops of said band portions; means biasing the hone means into engagement with said band portions; reciprocating means connected between the housing and the carriage for reciprocating the latter; hone control means operative between the housing and the hone means for intermittently rocking the hone means out of engagement with the band portions; and drive means connected to the reciprocating and hone control means and including means timing the hone control means to operate after a predetermined number of reciprocations of the carriage.

l0. Honing apparatus for a bread slicing machine having transversely spaced apart elongated frame members and a plurality of drum-carried slicer bands running lengthwise of and between the frame members, said apparatus comprising: a support mounted on one frame member; a cross rod carried at one end on the support and projecting toward the other frame member in traversing relation to the plurality of bands; hone means rockable and reciprocatable on the rod and traversing certain of the bands; reciprocating means between the support and the hone means for reciprocating the latter; means biasing the hone means toward engagement with said certain of the bands; power-driven hone control means between the support and the hone means for intermittently overcoming the biasing means to cause the hone means to disengage said certain of the bands; and means operative between the reciprocating means and the hone control means to automatically operate the latter to enable the biasing means to incur band engagement of the hone means during several reciprocations of the hone means and to disengage said hone means after said several reciprocations.

11. Honing apparatus for a bread slicing machine having transversely spaced apart elongated frame members and a plurality of drum-carried slicer bands running lengthwise of and between the frame members, said apparatus comprising: hone means disposed in traversing relation to certain of the bands; means mounting the hone means on the machine for reciprocation crosswise of the bands and for movement toward and away from the bands; and power drive means connected to the hone means for causing reciprocation of said hone means and including hone control means operative automatically to incur band engagement of the hone means during several reciprocations of the hone means and to disengage said hone means after said several reciprocations.

l2. Honing apparatus for a bread slicing machine having transversely spaced apart elongated frame members and a plurality of drum-carried slicer bands running lengthwise of and between the frame members, said apparatus comprising: hone means disposed in traversing relation to certain of the bands; means mounting the hone means on the machine for reciprocation crosswise of the bands and for movement toward and away from the bands; and power drive means including a Worm device connected to the home means for causing reciprocation of said hone means and also including cam means operative automatically to incur band engagement of the hone means during several reciprocations of the hone means and to disengage said hone means after said several reciprocations.

131 Honing apparatus for a bread slicing machine having spaced apart parallel drums and a plurality of slicer bands spaced across and trained about the drums and providing upper and lower band portions in a honing area adjacent to one drum, and said machine including upper and lower frame members flanking the plurality of bands at each side of the machine, said apparatus comprising: upper and flower cross rods traversing and respectively lying above the band portions in the honing area and having opposite ends respectively adjacent to the upper and lower frame members; first means mounting one end of each of said rods on the upper and lower frame members at one side of the machine; upper and lower hone means carried respectively on the rods for engagement respectively with the tops of said band portions; and second means mounting the other ends of the rods on the frame members at the other side of the machine, including upper and lower separate elements respectively engaging the upper and lower rods and respectively having connections to the upper and lower members at said other side of the machine, pivot means interconnecting the elements intermediate the rods and the connection of one of the elements to its frame member being releasable and said one element being disengageable from its rod for swinging about the pivot means.

14. Honing apparatus for a bread slicing machine having opposite sides and including a plurality of parallelslicer bands running lengthwise of and between said sides and providing upper and lower band portions in a transverse honing area, said apparatus comprising: upper and lower transverse supports traversing and lying respectively above the band portions in the honing area, each support having one end adjacent to one side of the machine and an opposite end adjacent to the opposite side of the machine; means mounting said one end of each support on said one side of the machine; honing means carried by each support and respectively overlying the band portions; and means mounting the opposite ends of the supports on the opposite side of the machine, including upper and lower elements respectively engaging said opposite ends of the supports and respectively having upper and lower connections with said other side of the machine, pivot means interconnecting the elements vertically in-. termediate the supports, and the connection of one of said elements being releasable from said other side of the machine and said one element being disengageable from its support for swinging about said pivot means.

15. Honing apparatus for a bread slicing machine having opposite sides and including a plurality of parallel slicer bands running lengthwise of and between said sides and providing upper and lower band portions in a transverse honing area, said apparatus comprising: upper and lower transverse supports traversing and lying respectively above the band portions in the honing area, each support having one end adjacent to one side of the machine and an opposite and adjacent to the opposite side of the machine; means mounting said one end of each support on said one side of the machine; honing means carried by each support and respectively overlying the band portions; and means mounting the opposite ends of the supports on the opposite side of the machine, including upper and lower elements respectively engaging said opposite ends of the supports and respectively having upper and lower connections with said other side of the machine, the connection of one of said elements being releasable from said other side of the machine and said one element being disengageable from its support, and means interconnecting the elements to carry said one element on the other element when said one element connection is released and said one element is disengaged from its support.

16. Honing apparatus for a bread slicing machine having opposite sides and including a plurality of parallel slicer bands running lengthwise of and between said sides and providing upper and lower band portions in a transverse honing area, said apparatus comprising: upper and lower cross rods traversing and lying respectively above the band portions; means supporting said rods on the machine; upper and lower tubes respectively concentrically carried by the rods for rocking and reciprocation; upper and lower hone means carried respectively by the tubes for engagement respectively with the band portions; a carriage spanning and reciprocatable lengthwise of the rods and connected to the tubes for incurring reciprocation of the tubes While permitting rocking of said tubes; arms respectively rigid with and projecting radially from the tubes adjacent to the carriage; link means having opposite ends connected respectively to the arms; spring means connected between the carriage and the link means for rocking the tubes in a direction causing engagement of the respective hone means with the band portions; means for reciprocating the carriage; and means for intermittently rocking the tubes to disengage the hone means, including a cam carried by the machine and a cam follower carried by the link and cooperative with said cam.

17. The invention defined in claim 16, in which: the cam is rotatable on an axis parallel to the cross rods and has an axial length sufficient to retain operative relation to the follower during reciprocation of the carriage and tubes.

18. Honing apparatus for a bread slicing machine having opposite sides and including a plurality of parallel slicer bands running lengthwise of and between said sides and providing upper and lower band portions in a transverse honing areas, said apparatus comprising: upper and lower cross members respectively traversing the band portions; means supporting said rods on the machine; upper and lower carriers mounted respectively on the cross members for rocking about and reciprocation along transverse axes; upper and lower hone means carried respectively by the carriers for engagement respectively with the band portions; a carriage spanning and reciprocatable lengthwise of the cross members and connected to the carriers for incurring reciprocation of the carriers while permitting rocking of said carrier; means interconnecting the carriers for rocking thereof in unison; spring means connected to the carriage and operative to rock the carriers in a direction causing engagement of the respective hone means with the band portions; means for reciprocating the carriage; and means for intermittently rocking the carriers to disengage the hone means, including a cam carried by the machine and a cam follower carried by the interconnecting means and cooperative with said cam.

19. The invention defined in claim 18, in which: the cam is rotatable on an axis parallel to the cross members and has an axial length sufficient to retain operative relation to the follow during reciprocation of the carriage and carriers.

20. The invention defined in claim 18, in which: the interconnecting means is adjustable relative to one carriethr to angularly adjust said one carrier relative to the 0 er.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,537,512 Crissey Jan. 9, 1951 2,768,486 Jones et a1 Oct. 30, 1956 2,786,314 Simmons Mar. 26, 1957 2,841,932 Tammen et al. July 8, 1958 2,851,833 Hansen Sept. 16, 1958 

